This was a fascinating book about three decades of women in the fashion industry. This story is told from the perspective of three women Mizza Bricard, Astrid Bricard, and Blythe Bricard. Mizza is a fashion icon living in Paris, known to the world as muse to Dior, but as we learn through her story she is so much more. Astrid is Mizza’s daughter, given up and adopted by a conservative family living in Long Island. Astrid longs to be more than the muse’s daughter so she works hard to distance herself from all that Mizza is. Yet despite all of her hard work she finds herself compared and linked to a famous man anyways. And finally we have Blythe, in modern day still fighting similar battles to women from generations earlier. I loved the mystery of what happened to Astrid Bricard, and all of the love, betrayal, and fears of women struggling to be successful and claiming their power. This was a beautiful story, made all the more interesting by the authors note at the end, letting us know what parts of the story were rooted in truth. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

It’s rare that multiple POV and characters are all equally fascinating but somehow with Lester’s new Historical Fiction novel, she manages it.

It’s the story of 3 generations of women: Mizza, Astrid and Blythe. All with their foot in fashion but all fighting to be treated equally in a male dominated world.

With references to pop culture of today (Kardashians) to moments in history (wars), somehow each story is as fascinating as the others. Mizza is the muse of Dior (or is she?!), Astrid fights against the assumptions and name of her mother, while trying to prove her own worth separate from being the love of Hawk’s life. And then we have Blythe: also underestimated in the fashion industry but struggling with her own self doubt as she deals with the broken pieces of her marriage.

I found all stories fascinating as we flip flopped but I think I could have stayed with Astrid and Hawk the longest. The 70’s with everything that was happening in the world and the explosion of powerhouse fashion teams made for a backdrop worth reading.

Something to note: it dragged at times. It’s a long one and each perspective needed their voices but there were moments where it was super slow and my mind was wandering.

Final thoughts: long but good. The author does an excellent job at weaving all 3 storylines. I still think my favourite is still The Paris Secret (5 stars) by Natasha Lester so if you’re new to the author, start there.

Another fashion-focused historical fiction from Lester that offers a little something for every reader!

You can expect romance, fashion, an intergenerational tale, cameos from a previous book, suspense, family drama, and more!

My favorite part about this book is how the Bricard women reclaim their voices amidst being overshadowed by men. Also, I couldn’t help but love being immersed in the fashion world and gaining an understanding of how global events played a role.

I have loved all of Natasha Lester's historical fiction books set during WWII but this one, while touching briefly on WWII through Mizza Brizzard, mostly focuses on the 1970's (Astrid) and 2012 (Blythe). I also really enjoy how much fashion plays such a major part in Ms. Lester's books, this one included. However, with the book set during 3 different timelines, there didn't seem to be much time to really delve into fashion and the designer world during the 70's which I think would have made the book that much more interesting. The plot did drag at times but picked up a bit towards the end although I think the author wrapped things up just a bit too neatly.

I very much appreciate how women's themes are woven throughout the book and would still recommend this for readers of historical fiction. Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy.

I loved this book. It’s the fashion version of Daisy Jones and the six with a bit more feminism thrown in. Loved the references to historical fashion houses. This would make a great movie!

A riveting story of three generations of Bricard women trying to break into the fashion industry and break free from stereotypes thrust upon them.

This is hands down the best book I've read in years, finishing it in one sitting. Though writing in three time periods, and from three different perspectives, very clearly distinct and easy to follow. The details were incredible; it felt like I was in those fashion houses, experiencing fashion school, and locked up in a chalet with my ex and his family. Strong storyline and even stronger women. Truly remarkable.

OK, I’m a sucker for any book set in France AND about fashion. I also love historical fiction what spans generations. These types of novels help me to realize that the female experience is far more similar that we can impage. We like to think that women today are far better off than they were for women like Mizzain 1917 Paris, but many of MIzza’s struggles were very relatable, at least to me.

The New York TImes wrote, “this novel is Daisy Jones and The Six meets Vogue,” and I couldn’t agree more.

I”m also a sucker for anything related to a missing person. So, when I read the title, I just had to ask NetGalley for an ARC.

For people who might not want to read a shorter novel, I implore you to stick with this one. The storyline is compelling, and it kept me reading until the end. As much as I want to gush about the ending, I’ll leave you learn what happened to Astrid on your own!

This was a wonderful story that elegantly wove the three generations in a beautiful way. Finding at the end that the basis of the story is based in truth was fascinating to apply after the fact. I great read I would actively recommend.

Excellent story about 3 generations of women in one family trying to break into the fashion industry. Despite being incredibly talented, they are often pushed aside for men and only considered at best muses, at worst, well, a lot worse. Told from the perspectives of each of these women, the story skips around between them constantly. At times, I was a little confused about which perspective I was reading, but that was not because of the writing, which is excellent, but because of the similarities in how these women were treated by men. It was shocking how times changed, but women in fashion were still not recognized for their talent. I kept thinking treatment of women would get better with each successive generation, but it didn't until.... no spoilers here.

I know nothing about the fashion industry, so not only was the story well written with a mystery thrown in, but I learned a fair amount. Going forward, I'm even going to keep my eye out for female designers. This was a woman empowering read, and I highly recommend it. You will root for all three of these women.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. My opinions are my own.

Wow, wow, wow, wow! This book hooked me from page 1 and had me flipping the pages as quickly as I could. This historical fiction pick is the first book I’ve read about the fashion industry. I’m sure it’s just the tip of the iceberg but it made me want to read more about it! The battles the women fight in this book are ones we still fight today whether in the fashion industry or not.

This book combined all of my favorite things- strong women, world war setting, and happy endings. Natasha Lester has just claimed a new spot as an author on my book shelf alongside Stephanie Dray, Kate Quinn, Beatriz Williams and Kristin Hannah.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is my first book by Natasha Lester and I enjoyed it.

In this book there are three timelines covering three generations of Bricard women whose lives are each entangled in the fashion industry. The 1930's/40's gives us Mizza Bricard, Astrid Bricard arises in the 60's and 70's, and the present day timeline is of Blythe Bricard.

I found Astrid & Blythe's timelines the most interesting. Astrid's includes her unappreciated brilliance as a design as well as a passionate yet tragic love story with another designer, Hawk. I could have read and entire book about just Astrid.

Blythe's timeline somewhat parallels her mother Astrid's. She is an underestimated woman in fashion and has reunited with her ex-husband. Blythe is uncovering the secrets of how her mother disappeared while piecing together her broken family.

For me, Mizza's timeline slowed down the book a bit. It didn't connect with or parallel the other two quite as well and the details were forgettable when I wasn't reading her section. While reading her timeline I felt like the book was long and sometimes lost stamina.

Overall I enjoyed this book and especially the message. I look forward to diving more into Natasha Lester's backlist starting with Alix St. Pierre who has cameo appearances in this book!

I really liked this book, it was different than anything else I've read which was a breath of fresh air. I will be recommending this to my friends, and auto buy this author!

Blythe Bricard is a woman whose name and legacy are tied to two infamous women in fashion; Mizza Bricard who worked alongside amazing designers, and Astrid Bricard, a designer who never saw her fame which was overshadowed by the man she loved. When Blythe decides to bring the family brand back, she realizes she must heal her trauma and solve the family mystery of what happened to her mother, Astrid, that night years ago in Versailles.

Natasha Lester uses her past in fashion to bring the untold women in that field and how they were forgotten by history or removed from it by men to light. Her books always send me to Google to ensure I can picture the people and places she adds to her story. While the story is a little longer than I thought necessary, it is compelling. It shows how little women were considered and how the contributions of men were more important. She seamlessly weaves this thought into her author's note which makes note of how women are still slighted for daring to be born female.

The love story between Hawk and Astrid is just lovely and the multiple storylines added a depth to the novel. I love parts of it. It also dragged along in parts. The main female characters experience angst about not living the life they were went to life. I got tired of reading about every little thought in their minds. It was repetitive and boring at times. That said, it is also a character-driven novel with the historical backdrop of the world of fashion throughout the years. The fashion aspect was very interesting and fun, as was the romance. It has a lot of great qualities. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester!

To say that I loved this book would be an understatement. Everything about it…I will buy it when it comes out to keep forever, and recommend it to all to do the same. The characterization of ALL characters is amazing. To be angry at a character and still love them—that’s a difficult thing to accomplish, and yet, Natasha Lester has done it. Amazing book.

This was long. We walk through the life and times of Astrid, her mother Mizza, and her daughter Blythe. All involved with the fashion industry. There's a lot going on in this book. Astrid is trying to stay out of her mother's shadow. Blythe is trying to rediscover her real mother and grandmother, not how the media portrays them. There's a touch of WWII historical fiction that probably could have been fleshed out a bit more, but that would have added to the length of the book. There's the girl power aspect as well. Men taking credit or being assigned credit when they didn't do the work. They're all trying to find themselves amidst the celebrity.
There's a lot of bouncing back and forth between narratives and timelines. it is a little tricky to follow the stream with each.
I received an ARC for my honest opinion of this book.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard was captivating read told through three generations of women who have always had to prove themselves and yet it is always a man that gets the credit.

Im not a fashionista so to be taken on a journey tgrough the World of fashion was very new too me

I was taken on an emotional journey while reading this story. But i absolutely loved it

Anyone who loves historical fiction and fashion will love this book. I know i did.

Thank you to the Grand Central Publishing(Forever) and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

All thoughts and opinions are my own thoughts and opinions and arent influenced by anyone else

Focusing on three generations of strong women and set in the fashion world, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is another wonderful historical fiction novel from Australian writer Natasha Lester.

Blythe Bricard feels overwhelmed by the legacy of her grandmother and mother. In 1917 her grandmother, Mizza, was known as the muse of the famous designer, Christian Dior. In the 1970's her mother, Astrid Bricard and father Hawk Jones were one of the most famous couples on the New York City fashion scene. But on the eve of a big fashion competition between American and French designers at the Palace of Versailles, Astrid disappeared.

Blythe who is also a very talented designer wants to make her mark in the fashion world but how can she do that without being compared to her mother and grandmother and what happened to her mother, Astrid?

The reader is drawn into the different time periods with the Paris fashion houses, war in France, the disco scene in New York City in the 1970's and the fabulous clothes from both time periods. We can feel the struggle women faced trying to succeed in the fashion world that was dominated by men. Some of the book is based on true events and the author also brought in real life characters to add to the story. The mystery of what happened to Astrid was intriguing, too. I couldn't wait to see if we find out what happened to her.

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of this book. The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard will be published in the US on January 30, 2024

“𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙨 𝙄 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙄’𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨—𝙄’𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨. 𝙄’𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙣𝙨. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙄’𝙢 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘽𝙡𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝘽𝙡𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡.”

three stories — each one epic in their own right, but then also skillfully woven together to create a masterpiece of a book. natasha lester has done it again! i got completely swept away in this story loosely based on the mysterious life of mizza bricard, christian dior’s assistant. wow, can you even imagine?

this is such a multilayered story! it’s hard to do justice for it in a simple review. there are so many messages to take away from this book. how far will a mother go in the name of love for her child? “how and why are women constantly reshaped by the media into something they aren’t?” (lester’s words from her author’s note.) what is the true story behind the picture online? what damage is the media really doing to people, especially women? this book brought out all of these thought provoking questions and more.

while this book raises the topic on some serious issues, there are beautiful, tender moments contained within as well. lester nails the romance and absolutely made me swoon with some of the scenes in this book. i don’t want to give anything away, but i will say that if you’re a sucker for a second chance romance or two…you may wanna pick this up. also getting to revisit my girl, alix st. pierre, was such a wonderful treat!

i can’t recommend this dive into history, fashion, motherhood and more enough!! i also recommend reading the author’s note. i so appreciate natasha’s thoughtfulness to research and explaining what’s fact and what’s fiction. i can’t wait to see what she writes next!

romance: fade to black

thank you to forever for an advanced copy. my thoughts are my own.